Recently, I made lunch plans with a woman whose son is the same age as mine.

We picked a restaurant with a large outdoor area the kids could play in without bugging other customers. Coincidentally, I had a PTA discount card that gives me 10 percent off food and drinks at the place.

Saving 10 percent for doing nothing other than pulling a card out of my wallet seemed like a no-brainer, except I was worried I would look cheap for busting out my savings card in front of a woman I barely knew.

Sticking to a budget and having a social life isn’t always easy, so I asked etiquette experts to weigh in on seven tricky money situations.

Is it OK to use a coupon on a date?

When a similar topic was discussed at Budgets Are Sexy, commenters were really divided, from people who thought it was off-putting to others who appreciated the idea of a budget-savvy date.

Kate Forest, a relationship counselor and coach at Master Matchmakers, says flat-out no to using a coupon. “Money, like religion and politics, is one of those topics best avoided when you are first getting to know someone, whether that’s a someone you might have a romantic relationship with or even a new friend,” Forest says. “You shouldn’t have to act like you don’t care about money, but neither should you act like you care too much.”

She says using a two-for-one blooming onion coupon will make you seem too money-focused. Keep the deal in your pocket until you’re out with a dear old friend who couldn’t care less whether you use it or not (and may in fact like a big plate of greasy, delicious, fried onion-ness, too!).

Dating on a budget? Forest suggests planning inexpensive outings like eating at a fun restaurant that won’t be too pricey (dim sum, anyone?), bringing coffee and taking your dogs to a dog park or touring a local winery where the tasting is free and then having lunch afterward. “I think the other person is more impressed by the thought and planning that goes into a date rather than the check at the end,” Forest says.

It’s date number two, and you’ve ordered too much. Can you ask for a doggie bag?

Nope, says Forest. “The biggest reason to not ask for a doggie bag is that you should have your hands free on a date. Even on an early date, there is opportunity for holding hands or lightly touching the other person,” which won’t happen if you’re toting a Styrofoam container around with you.

Vicky Oliver, author of The Millionaire’s Handbook, disagrees, saying she’s started taking leftover food from restaurants because she hates the idea of wasting so much. “It’s just so much better food than anything I could make at home, and the portions are ginormous!” Oliver says. She adds that as long as you’re polite to the waiter, cute about your request or make a joke with your companion like, “I wish I were a chef, but I’m definitely not,” there shouldn’t be an issue with it. “We need to get out of our shame and embarrassment. Frugal is in fashion, and it can be all in the way you try to make it fun.”

Both experts agree: You cannot take other people’s food home (which, bizarrely, happened to one of Forest’s clients on a first date.)

What if your co-workers eat out every Friday and start asking why you won’t join them?

Should you ask for separate checks?

“Here is where things get tricky because there has been so much change in the social structure between men and women,” Forest says.

“However, I think a first date should go like this: The man reaches for the check, the woman offers to split it, the man declines, saying ‘No, I’ve got it.’ It’s a bit of Kabuki theater, but there’s not much else I think that works.”

She adds, “A good unspoken rule is that the person who plans the date pays for the date.” Each person should take some responsibility for planning and paying for dates, so neither person is the one constantly footing the bill.

What if friends pick a pricey restaurant?

One is to be upfront with your friends and explain to them, “I’m on the austerity diet these days. I really am looking for a place where we can order appetizers only. Or can we go to a place that is slightly less expensive?”

From there, come up with budget alternatives. Figure out a cost-friendly ordering strategy like selecting two appetizers instead of a pricier entrée, or only have a glass of wine instead of three specialty cocktails. But again, try to go. You shouldn’t “miss out on socializing and networking opportunities, and hopefully money does not become the dividing point,” Oliver says.

Can you ask people to take you out for your birthday or do you have to foot the bill?

It’s another split vote from our experts. Oliver is of the “Why not?” school and thinks it’s totally okay to ask for a once-a-year treat on your special day. “I think it’s fine because you’re such a fun-loving, celebratory person,” she says.

Forest, however, says, “This is a pet peeve of mine. I do not understand inviting people somewhere and then expecting them to pay their own way. Your birthday is not an opportunity for your friends to shower you with gifts and favors. Rather, it’s a time to celebrate your friendships and honor the people you love. If you want your friends to celebrate your birthday with you, and you have no money, then have them over to your house and ask for a potluck, or order some pizzas and have some cases of beer in your apartment.”

Should you argue if a friend hasn't paid you back yet?

“Let it go,” Oliver says. You’ll be “happier if you can let little things go.”

Forest says for a close friend, it’s fine to say, “I’ll get you this time. Next week, you can buy the drinks.”

But she agrees with Oliver that you’ll probably have to suck it up if you’re not tight with this person. If they ask for money a second time, it’s well within your rights to jokingly say, “Hey, you still owe me for last time!” Bear in mind that you should never lend any money unless you can really afford to because you might not ever get it back, Forest adds.